Propelling and steering system for mining machines



May 2, 1967 c. J. ARNDT 3,317,245 PROPELLING AND STEERING SYSTEM FOR MINING MACHINES Filed Sept. 29, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I N VE N TOR. Char/es J Anya f May 2, 1967 c. J. ARNDT 3,317,245

PROPELLING AND STEERING SYSTEM FOR MINING MACHINES Filed Sept. 29, 1964 l s Sheets-Sheet 2 i uv I: v 35 5 INVENTOR. Char/es 1 A/wdf y 2 1 6 c. J. ARNDT 3,317,245

PROPELLING AND STEERING SYSTEM FOR MINING MACHINES Filed Sept. 29, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 I N VE N TOR. Char/es d A/ndf chines heretofore in United States Patent 3,317,245 PROPELLING AND STEERING SYSTEM FOR MINING MACHINES Charles J. Arndt, Harvey, Ill., assignor to Goodman Manufacturing Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Filed Sept. 29, 1964, Ser. No. 400,086 Claims. (Cl. 29976) This invention relates to improvements in mining machines and more particularly relates to an improved form of propelling and steering system therefor.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved form of propelling and steering system for mining machines of the ripper type, so arranged as to enable the spacing between the propelling devices of the machine and the gathering mechanism to be reduced, and to thereby substantially reduce the overhang of the ripper cutter drum at the front of the machine.

A further object of the invention is to improve upon the mining and loading machines heretofore in use having a mining head supported in advance of the main frame of the machine in which the machine is propelled and maneuvered by continuous traction tread devices 'by longitudinally slidably supporting the main frame of the machine on the tread devices and movably tying the main frame of the machine to the tread devices and effecting advance of the machine by driving one tread device to move in advance of the main frame and thereby reducing the overhang of the mining head during a mining operation.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved propelling, steering and boom swinging means for mining machines, in which the usual continuous tread devices slidably support the main frame of the machine for relative movement with respect thereto, in which a tying frame, pivotally connected to the main frame of the machine intermediate its ends, is connected to the tread devices at its opposite ends, and movement of one tread device relative to the other will advance the tread device with respect to the main frame, pivot the tying frame and advance the main frame half the distance of advance of the movable tread device.

A still further object of the invention is to improve upon the steering systems for continuous mining mause, having later-ally swingable gathering mechanism and a boom arm and rotary cutter drum extending in front of the main frame of the machine, in which independently driven continuous traction tread devices support the main frame of the machine for longitudinal slidable' movement with respect thereto, to enable the main frame to move relatively to the tread devices, and in which a tying frame vertically pivoted to the main frame forms a support for the boom and gathering mechanism of the machine, and is pivoted upon relatively movement of one tread device with respect to the other, to laterally swing the boom and gathering mechanism supported thereon.

These and other objects of the invention will appear from time to time as the following specification proceeds and with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a' plan view of a mining machine supported on continuous traction tread devices in accordance with the principles of the present invention, diagrammatically showing the machine completing a ripping mining operation and showing one traction tread device in advance of the other, and the cutter drum and gathering mechanism of the machine swung laterally with respect to the center line of the machine, by the advancing continuous traction tread device;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of the forward end portion of the machine shown in FIG- URE 1 with certain parts broken away;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the machine shown in FIGURE 1 with certain parts broken away and certain other parts removed; and

FIGURE 5 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along line 5--5 of FIGURE 4.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, reference numeral 10 generally indicates a continuous mining machine 10 of the ripper type, including a main frame 11 mounted on laterally spaced continuous traction tread devices 12, 12 and propelled along the ground thereby from working place to working place. The traction tread devices also serve to laterally position a rotary cutter drum 13 and gathering mechanism 15 disposed in advance of the main frame and to sump the cutter drum into the working face of a mine.

The cutter drum 13 is rotatably supported in advance of the forward end of the main frame 11, for rotation about a horizontal axis extending transversely of said main frame, on a ,boom 16 transversely pivoted to the main frame. As herein shown, boom 16 is bifurcated at its rear end and arms 17, 17 extend along the outer sides of laterally spaced upright support bosses 18, 18 and are pivoted thereto on pivot pins 19, 19. The bosses extend upwardly of the rear end portion of a pivot frame 20, vertically pivoted to the main frame 11.

As shown in FIGURE 3, the pivot frame 20 has a central depending boss 21 extending through a bearing 22 in a central boss 23 formed integrally with the main frame 11 and resting on a thrust bearing 24 011 top of the boss 23. A tying frame 27 extends transversely of the main frame 11 and abuts the bottom of the boss 21 and a thrust bearing 28 extending about the bottom of the boss 23, forming a bearing for said tying frame. Machine screws 29 are provided to secure said tying frame to the boss 21 and pivot frame 20. The tying frame 27 has outwardly opening slots 30 at its opposite ends, extending between the furcations of bifurcated connectors 31 and slidably and pivotally connected thereto as by vertical pivot pins 32. The connectors 31 are shown as being formed integrally with and extending outwardly of lower guide portions 35 of guides 36, extending along the insides of tread frames 37 for the continuous traction tread devices, as will hereinafter be more clearly described as this specification proceeds. The tying frame 27 and pivot frame 20, form a tying frame structure, which supports the boom 16 and gathering mechanism 15, and swings said boom and gathering mechanism from side to side.

The boom 16 extends along opposite sides of a conveyor 40 and forms a bearing support for the cutter drum 13, inwardly of the ends thereof, in a manner similar to that shown and described in application Serial No. 277,540, filed on May '2, 1963 by Richard C. Lindquist and entitled, Ripper Type Continuous Mining Machine, now Patent No. 3,157,438 and no part of the present invention, so need not herein be shown or described further.

Motors 41 are suitably mounted on opposite sides of the boom 16 and have drive shafts 43 extending forwardly therefrom having driving connection with opposite end portions of the cutter drum 13 for rotatably driving said cutter drum in a direction, which is herein shown as being a direction to mine upwardly from the floor to the roof of the mine.

The conveyor 40 is shown as being a conventional single strand laterally flexible center chain and flight type of conveyor, and includes a central trough portion 44 extending along the main frame 11 to the rear end thereof, having a laterally flexible discharge end portion 45 forming a rearward continuation of the central trough portion, and angularly moved to one side or the other of the center line of the main frame by a conventional hydraulic jack 46 (FIGURES 1 and 4).

The conveyor also includes an inclined elevating trough section 47 extending downwardly from support brackets 48 to the ground in advance of the forward end of the main frame. The brackets 48 extend upwardly and forwardly of the pivot frame 20. The trough section 47 and central trough portion 44 of the conveyor are transversely pivoted to the brackets 48 on trunnion pins 49, extending inwardly of said support brackets.

As shown in FIGURE 4, the trough section 47 has parallel spaced side walls 50 mounted on the trunnion pins 49 and having the forward end portions of flexible side walls 51 extending along the insides thereof and mounted on said trunnion pins. A bottom frame portion 52 of the trough portions 44 and 47 has connectors 53 secured thereto and extending forwardly therealong in outwardly spaced relation with respect thereto and to the side walls 51 and extending along the outer sides of the side walls 50 and along the insides of the support brackets 48, and also mounted on the trunnion pins 49. A vertical pivot 54, coaxial with the axis of the boss 21 is provided in the bottom frame portion 52 to accommodate pivotal movement of the trough section 47 with respect to the trough section 44.

The flexible side walls 51 extend rearwardly along the side walls of the trough section 44, and are guided for slidable movement with respect thereto in guides 55 secured to the side walls of said trough section and extending over the top of and along the inner sides of the flexible side walls 51.

A hydraulic jack 56 (FIGURE 4) is pivotally connected between the main frame 11 and bottom of the trough section 44, to raise and lower the trough sections 44 and 45 about the trunnion pins 49. A hydraulic jack 57 is pivotally connected between a connector 59 extending forwardly of the pivot or tying frame 26 and a connector bracket 60 extending rearwardly of an underframe structure 61, for the inclined trough section 47. The jack 57 serves to raise and lower the elevating trough section and a shoe 63, supporting the forward end portion of the inclined trough section 47 for slidable movement along the ground (FIGURE 2).

The gathering mechanism 15 is of a conventional form and generally includes an inclined apron extending across the forward end of the inclined elevating trough section 47 and upwardly along opposite sides thereof (FIGURES 2 and 4). The apron 65 forms a support for conventional orbitally travelling gathering arms 66 pivoted intermediate their ends on rotating disks 67, and controlled for movement in controlled orbital paths to progress the material onto the conveyor 40 by control links 69, pivoted to the apron 65 at their rear ends on pivot pins 70 and pivoted to the gathering devices 66 at their forward ends on pivot pins 71. The disks 67 may be rotatably driven to move the gathering devices 66 in their orbital gathering paths by suitable drive gearing (not shown), which may be driven from a front idler shaft 73 for the conveyor 40.

The boom 16 and cutter drum 13 are raised and low ered about the axes of connection of said boom to the brackets 18, 18 on the pivot frame 26 by laterally spaced hydraulic jacks 75 transversely pivoted between support brackets 76 extending forwardly of the pivot frame 20 and the underside of a top cross plate 77 for the boom 16.

Referring now to the tread frames 37 and continuous traction tread devices guided for movement thereabout, and the slidable connections between said tread frame and opposite sides of the main frame 11, each tread frame 37 is shown in FIGURE 3 as being of a generally downwardly opening rectangular channel-like construction, having an outer side wall 80 and an inner parallel spaced side wall 81 connected together by a top plate 83. The frame forms a mounting at its front end for an idler sprocket =84 meshing with transversely pivotally connected tread links 85 of the traction tread devices 12, The idler sprocket 84 is rotatably mounted in the tread frame 37 between the side plates 80 and 81 in a conventional manner and its position with respect to said side plates may be varied to enable the proper ten= sion to be placed on the tread links 85 by a tension takeup 86, shown in FIGURE 2 as being a conventional form of screw type of takeup. A drive sprocket 87 is mounted between the side plates 80 and 81 at the rear end thereof on a transverse shaft 82 in a conventional manner. A support plate 88 is spaced above the plate 83 of the tread frame and extends along the top of the endless tread links 85. The plate 88 is supported at its inner end on a leg 89 extending therealong and downwardly therefrom and suitably mounted on the top of the guide 36. An opposite parallel leg 90 extends downwardly of the plate 88 in outwardly spaced relation with respect to the outer side plate 84) and is spaced therefrom by a spacer plate 91. The leg 90 and spacer plate 91 may be bolted or otherwise secured to the outer side frame member 80.

An individual motor 93 is provided to drive each drive sprocket 37 and continuous traction tread device 12. As shown in FIGURES l and 2, each motor 93 is mounted on the top of the plate 88 at the rear end thereof. A speed reducer housing 95 is shown as being secured to the inner end of the housing for said motor and forms a housing and bearing support for conventional reduction gearing for driving the associated sprocket 87 and continuous tread device 12 upon energization of the motor 93.

The inwardly extending guide 36, extending inwardly of each plate 81 of the tread frame 37 is of a gibbed channel-like form, the gibs of which extend upwardly and downwardly along the inner sides of longitudinal guide bars 96. The guide bars 96 extend along opposite sides of the bottom plate of the main frame 11, in parallel relation with respect to each other and upwardly and downwardly from said bottom plate. Bearing pads, generally indicated by reference character 97, are carried by the gibbed portions of the guides 36 and the bottoms of said guides to allow free movement of the tread frames 37 along the bars 96.

When it is desired to move the machine in a straight line and the two traction tread devices are in laterally aligned relation with respect to each other and the boom 16 and gathering devices 15 are in longitudinal alignment with the center line of the machine, the two continuous traction tread devices 12 may be driven from their individual motors 93 at the same rates of speed.

As one continuous tread device 12 is held from movement as its motor 93 is deenergized, and the opposite continuous traction tread device 12 is driven by its motor, the driven traction tread device 12 will move along the main frame 11 guided by the guide bar 96 and gibbed guide 36 in advance of the main frame. The tying frame 27, slidably and pivotally connected be tween the two tread frames and pivoted to the main frame at the longitudinal center thereof, will be pivoted about the axis of the boss 21 by the traction tread device moving in a forward direction relative to the main frame. This will pivot the pivot frame 20 and swing the boom 16 and cutter drum 13 in a direction away from the driven traction tread device and at the same time will pivot the inclined trough section 47 to follow the boom 16.

The vertical pivotal connection between the tying frame 27 and main frame 11 being at the longitudinal center of said main frame and the two arms of said tying frame being slidably and pivotally connected to the tread frames by the pivot pins 32, and being of the same length, the main frame 11 Will advance half the distance of travel of the tread frame 37. Continued travel of the driven continuous traction tread device while the opposite traction tread device is stationary, or is driven at a slower rate of speed than the extended continuous traction tread device, will then cause movement of the main frame 11 in a turning direction about the retracted traction tread device in a more or less conventional manner.

When the two traction tread devices are driven at the same rates of speed, and one is extended and the other is retracted, the overhang of the laterally disposed mining head will result in the extended traction tread device placing a slight turning force on the main frame to tend to turn the main frame about the retracted traction tread device. This force, however, will be counteracted by the rotary cutter drum 13 when being sumped into the ooal face, and is insufficient to prevent sumping of the cutter drum into the coal face in a straight line, when the cutter drum is in the angularly extended position shown in FIGURE 1. The extending traction tread device will also advance its support with respect to the main frame towards the gathering mechanism and mining head and will thereby reduce the overhang of the gathering mechanism and mining head during a mining operation and provide clearance for lateral turning movement of the mining head and gathering mechanism towards the retracted tread device as the extending tread device is extended.

A locking means is provided to lock the tread frames 37 from relative movement with respect to the main frame 11 along the guide bars 96. The locking means is shown in FIGURES 4 and 5 as comprising a locking pin 100, slidably mounted in the inner upper portion of a gibbed guide 36 and extending angularly inwardly to engage a locking recess 101 in the associated guide bar 96. The pin 100 is pivotally connected at its upper end to an inwardly extending arm 103 of a bell crank 104. Bell crank 104 is transversely pivoted to the inner side of the plate 88 on a pivot pin 105, mounted in an upwardly extending bracket 102 extending upwardly of the top surface of the plate 88. An upright arm 109 of the bell crank 104 is pivoted to a slide rod 106, slidable transversely of the plate 88 and having a hand grip 107 on its outer end. Registry of the pin 100 with the locking recess 101 in the guide bar 96, will thus hold the associated tread frame from movement along its guide bar and Will hold the opposite tread frame from movement along its guide bar, by the tying connection between the two tread frames attained by the pivoted tying member 27 pivoted to the main frame.

While I have herein shown and described one form in which the invention may be embodied, it may readily be understood that various variations and modifications in the invention may be attained without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts thereof.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a mining machine,

a main frame,

propelling and steering means for said main frame including a pair of laterally spaced continuous traction tread devices, supporting said main frame,

longitudinally slidable supporting connections between said main frame and said tread devices,

a separate motor for each tread device for driving said tread devices independently of each other,

a transverse tying frame structure mounted on said main frame, limited angular movement relative to said main frame in the general plane of said main frame, and having movable connection with said tread devices at its ends, for tying said tread devices together and to said main frame and accommodating one tread device to advance with respect to the other.

2. A mining machine in accordance with claim 1 in which the tying frame structure is vertically pivoted to the main frame intermediate its ends for movement about an axis intersecting the longitudinal center of the machine and has slidable and pivotal connection with said tread devices at its opposite ends.

3. In a continuous mining machine, a main frame, propelling and steering means for said main frame including a pair of laterally spaced continuous traction tread devices, each having a tread frame having an endless tread device guided for movement therealong, longitudinally slid-able guiding connections between said tread frames and said main frame, individual motors mounted on said tread frames for driving said tread devices independently of each other,

connection with said tread frames at its opposite ends. whereby travel of said tread devices together will advance said main frame 'in a straight line and travel of one tread device with respect to the other will pivot said tying frame and advance said main frame along the stationary tread device, a lesser distance than the distance of travel of the moving tread device and tend to pivot said main frame about the stationary tread device.

4. A mining machine in accordance with claim 3 wherein the transverse tying frame structure is vertically pivoted to said frame for movement about an axis intersecting the longitudinal central axis of said main frame and wherein pin and slot connections are provided between opposite ends of said tying frame structure and said tread frames.

5. A mining machine in accordance with claim 4 wherein locking means is provided for locking one tread frame from relative movement with respect to said main frame and thereby locking the opposite tread frame through said transverse tying frame structure.

6. In a mining machine,

a main frame,

a pair of laterally spaced continuous traction tread devices supporting said main frame,

a conveyor extending along said main frame and having an inclined elevating forward end portion extending in advance of the forward end of said main frame and downwardly from said main frame to the ground,

gathering devices at the forward end of said inclined elevating portion of said conveyor,

a transverse tying frame vertically pivoted to said main frame for movement about an axis intersecting the longitudinal'center of said main frame,

transverse pivotal support means pivotally supporting the inclined elevating portion of the conveyor on said tying frame for horizontal movement therewith and for vertical movement with respect thereto about a horizontal transverse axis,

means slidably supporting said main frame on said tread devices and accommodating relative movement of said tread devices with respect to said main frame,

slidable and pivotal connections between said tread devices and opposite ends of said tying frame,

whereby movement of one tread device with respect to the other will effect pivotal movement of said tying frame, inclined elevating portion of said conveyor and gathering devices toward the stationary tread device and the advance of said main frame with respect to the stationary tread device.

7. In a mining machine,

a main frame,

a pair of laterally spaced continuous traction tread devices supporting said main frame,

a tying frame structure vertically pivoted to said main frame adjacent the forward end thereof,

a boom transversely pivotally mounted on said tying frame structure and extending in advance of said main frame,

a transverse tying frame structure pivotally mounted on said main frame intermediate its ends and having a transverse horizontal cutter drum supported at the forward end of said boom for ripping the coal from the mine face upon vertical movement of said boom,

means operated by operation of said continuous traction tread devices for advancing and steering said main frame and swinging said boom and cutter drum from side to side int-o a selected position for mining comprlslng:

longitudinal slidable supports for said tread devices on said main frame accommodating longitudinal movement of said tread devices with respect to said main frame, and vertical pin and slot connections between opposite ends of said tying frame and said tread devices, whereby movement of one a stationary tread device will draw the main frame there with a shorter distance than the distance of travel of said one tread device, and will thereby pivot said tying frame and swing said-boom and cutter drum in a direction away from the moving tread device.

8. In a mining machine,

a main frame,

a pair of laterally. spaced continuous traction tread devices supporting said main frame,

a conveyor extending along said main frame and having an inclined elevating forward end portion extending downwardly from the forward end of said main frame to the ground,

gathering devices at the forward end of said inclined elevating forward end portion of said conveyor,

a transverse pivotal support for said inclined elevating forward end portion of said conveyor including a tying frame structure vertically pivoted to said main frame in intersection with the longitudinal axis thereof,

a boom extending in advance of said main frame,

a cutter drum rotatably mounted on the forward end of said boom and extending transversely of said main frame,

means supporting said boom on said tying frame structure for pivotal movement about an axis extendin transversely of said boom,

means connected between said tying frame structure and said boo-m for raising and lowering said boom,

longitudinally slidable guide means for said main frame on said continuous traction tread devices, and

pivotal and slidable connections between opposite ends of said tying frame structure and said continuous traction tread devices for effecting movement of said main frame along one of said traction tread devices tread device with respect to upon driving of the opposite traction tread device and pivoting said tying frame and inclined elevat ing portion of said conveyor, gathering devices and boom about the axis of connection of said tying frame to said main frame and in a direction away from the moving traction tread device.

9. A mining machine in accordance with claim 8 wherein a locking connection is provided between said main frame and one of said continuous traction tread devices to lock said one tread device from relative movement with respect to said main frame and thereby lock the opposite continuous traction tread device through said tying frame, to accommodate conventional propelling and steering of the machine.

10. In a mining machine, a main frame, a pair of laterally spaced continuous traction tread devices supporting said frame, a pivot frame vertically pivoted to said main frame adjacent the forward end thereof, a boom transversely pivotally mounted on said pivot frame and extending in advance of said main frame, a transverse horizontal cutter drum supported at the forward end of said boom for ripping the coal from the mine face upon vertical movement of said boom,

longitudinal slidable supports for said tread devices on said main frame accommodating longitudinal movement of said tread devices with respect to said main frame, and connections between said tread devices and said main frame limiting relative movement of said tread devices with respect to said main frame, and drawing said main frame along one tread device upon relative travel of the other tread device, said connections also having connection with said pivot frame and effecting pivotal movement of said pivot frame, boom and cutter drum upon relative movement of one tread device with respect to the other.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,113,997 4/1938 Starr 37--144 2,792,204 5/1957 Cartlidge 299- X 2,821,795 2/1958 Williams 9.2 X 3,078,081 2/1963 Densmore 299-75 X ERNEST R. PURSER, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A MINING MACHINE, A MAIN FRAME, PROPELLING AND STEERING MEANS FOR SAID MAIN FRAME INCLUDING A PAIR OF LATERALLY SPACED CONTINUOUS TRACTION TREAD DEVICES, SUPPORTING SAID MAIN FRAME, LONGITUDINALLY SLIDABLE SUPPORTING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN SAID MAIN FRAME AND SAID TREAD DEVICES, A SEPARATE MOTOR FOR EACH TREAD DEVICE FOR DRIVING SAID TREAD DEVICES INDEPENDENTLY OF EACH OTHER, A TRANSVERSE TYING FRAME STRUCTURE MOUNTED ON SAID MAIN FRAME, LIMITED ANGULAR MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO SAID MAIN FRAME IN THE GENERAL PLANE OF SAID MAIN FRAME, AND HAVING MOVABLE CONNECTION WITH SAID TREAD DEVICES AT ITS ENDS, FOR TYING SAID TREAD DEVICES TOGETHER AND TO SAID MAIN FRAME AND ACCOMMODATING ONE TREAD DEVICE TO ADVANCE WITH RESPECT TO THE OTHER. 